willmbth



5 Sheets-Sheet; 2.

C. s. WILLMBTH. GornfHarvester;

NQ.y 224,500. ,l Patent-ed Feb.Y 1o, 1880.

N. PETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAFHER. WASHINGTON. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

eHAELES s. WILLMETH, E l SULLIVAN, INDIANA, AsSIeNoE rro MICHAEL W. EvANS AND OLIvEEJ. DUDLEY, 0E SAME PLAGE, oNE-EoUE'rH To y EAcH.

coRN-HAvEsTMl-:FL

sPEcIEIcA'IIoN fermingpm of Letters Patent No. 224,500, dated February 1o, 1880. i

' V Application led December 8, 1879.

To all 'whom it mor/y concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES S.'WILLMETH,

vention, which will enable others Skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the 1o same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in whichg Figure l is a perspective View. Fig. 2 is a plan or top view. Fig. 3 is a side elevation.

Fig. et is a similar view of the opposite side.

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan. Fig. 6 is -a rear elevation. Fig. 7 -is a transverse section of the sickle-bar with its carrier and centralngerguard. Fig. 8` is a detail view of a portion of 2o the sickle, showing the construction of the serrated knives. Fig. 9'is a detail view of one of the circular iianged reel-arm supports. Figs. l0 and. l()zb are sections of one ofthe wheel-hubs, taken at rightangles to each other,

showing the construction and arrangement of4 the pawls, and Fig. 11 is a detail view of the.

clutch mechanism for operating the reciprocating sickle. y v

Similar letters of reference indicatecorre- 3o sponding parts in all the igures.

This invention relates to corn-harvesters;

and it consists in the improvements hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the five sheets of drawings hereto an,- nexed, Arepresents the frame of the machine, which is made, preferably, of beams of hard wood framed together with, half-tenons and fastened with lag-bolts, so as 'to' form a solid 4o and substantial frame.- BB are twoiron trac'- tion` or drive Wheels running loosely on a wroughtiron shaft or axle, Gf Each of the drive-.Wheels B has ak concentric ratchetwheel, b', (see Fig. 10,) cast on the inside of the hub,

4 5 facing a circular cast-iron box, D, which is keyed `upon shaft G, one at each end, and providedon its inner side, facing the'hub, with a series of pivoted paWls, d, or ratchet-fingers, which engage with the ratchet-wheel b on the 'forward motion of the wheel or advance motion of the machine, for the purpose of allowing each of the wheels B to work or rotate independentlyof the other in turning corners or turning around with the machine, 4both the wheels clutching shaft C only when the .machine is advancing in a straight line.

E is a castir0`n bevel-wheel, Which is bolted concentrically uponthe arms of the left traction-wheel B, and meshes with a clutch-pinion, F, running loosely on a wrought-iron shaft, f, at `right angles to the main shaft C. On the same shaft j' is a match-clutch, G, the 4central bore of which, surrounding shaft f, has a lon gitudinal groove, which rides upon a feat-her or rib upon the shaft. Clutch G is moved forward and backward uponits shaft by means of `a bifurcated arm, g, tting into an annular groove upon the clutch-sleevey and operated by a sliding plate, H, provided withV means for its adjustment upon the frame of the machine, so that .by sliding Vplate H forward or backwardvhich the. driver is enabled to do Y with his foot)the .machinery for running the sickle may be unshipped in traveling over roads to or from the ield.

On the end of shaft f is keyed an internal spur-wheel, I, which meshes with a pinion, i, secured uponthe inner end of a short shaft, upon the outer end of which is keyed a disk, J, provided with a wrist-pin that connects with an iron strap-joint, j, the other end of which is screwed or bolted upon the pitman J This pitman extends transversely across the under side of the rear end of the machine, and is fcoupled at its outeru end to the sickle-driver k, which isV riveted to the sickle-plate guides Z and lsickle plates or knives K, the driver k working in a. slot, m, in the nger-bar L, wbhich said barhas a longitudinal `raised flange or rib, a, (see Fig. 7,) projecting up into the lon- Y gitudinal groove or recess formed between the guides l Z and sickle-plates K, which .are riveted upon and connect the parallel guide-bars l l. the sickle, which is composed of a series of the plates K riveted upon `the connecting parallel guide-bars l l, or made Vin one piece therewith,

By this construction and arrangement of i top of the sickle is left clear of any obstruction,

as will be seen more clearly by reference to' the top view, Fig.v 2.

M M M2 are the sickleguards or fingerguards, the rear end of each of which is bolted upon the front side ot' the iinger-ba-r L, and slotted to receive the plates K. Each of these plates consists of a square or rectangular part or base and a projecting triangular plate or point, the edges ot' which are serrated, so as to form a series of sharp diamond-shaped points, 17 p, like saw-teeth, (see Fig. 8,) pointing backward from the point of the sickle-plate toward its base, the object of which teeth is to enable the knives K to penetra-te through the hard and glossy surface orenamel of thecorn-stalks during the process ot'cutting. lf the sickle plates or knives K were made with smooth sharp edges, they would not only pass by the stalks without severing them, but the edger would soon be dulled by contact with the hard surface of' the stalks, so that the machine would be practically inoperative.

NN' N2 are three angular guide-posts made of strap-iron, the first one being bolted vertically upon the projecting outer end of the curved sickle-guide M2. The middle one, N', is bolted in like manner upon the outer end of the sickle bar or arm L, (which is connected to the end of guide M2 by a brace, L,) and the third post, N2, is bolted on the rear end of the wooden frame A. PostsN N N2 are connect-ed f by two parallel curved guide-rails, V V, made of half-round strap-iron, and connected to their middle support or pos-t, N', by straps fu o. The forward end of these guide-rails, between posts N N, operating in conjunction with the curved sickle-guide M, will, as the machine advances over the ground, guide the stalks in against the reciprocating sickle ou both sides of the middle finger, M', where they are severed by the serrated sickle blades or knives K K in the manner described.

O is a canvas apron, which is suspended between and operated by two fluted wooden rollers, each of which has a cast-iron iianged gudgeon at each end journaled in boxes suitably arranged upon the frame of the machine.

One of the rollers (denoted by the letter 0') is.

5o journaled at its inner end in a sliding box, q,

and provided at the end of its gudgeon-shaft with a friction-pulley,r, which is moved against the smooth outer face or periphery of the inside gear-wheel, I, by means of a cam, s, that bears against an upright shoulder or ange on they inner end of the sliding box q. This cam s is secured upon the rear end of av rockshaft, t, the forward end of which has an arm, u, andv treadle U within convenient reach of the drivers foot, so that when treadle U is depressed cam s at the other end of the rod or shaft t will shove the sliding box q to one side, bringing the friction-pulley r in contact with wheel I, which rotates the roller O'and.

operates its apron O, so that it will, every time pressure is brought to bear upon the treadle U, dump the bunch of' corn-stalks placed upon it at the time.

P is a bevel-pinion, which is keyed upon one end of the main shaft C, and meshes with a bevel-pinion, P-, keyed upon the lower end of the vertical reel-shaft P2. rlhis shaft is supported in a vertical position by an iron arm, w, bolted upon the frame, and also by the curved strap-iron guard R', which connects the front part of the machine, on one side, to the apron-guard or shield R, back of the main frame.

The reel-shaft P2 is provided with two circular plates, W W, each of which has a central sleeve, b, and a set-screw,a, by means of which it may be adjusted at any desired elevation' upon shaft P2. The circular disks or plates W are provided with flanges c c, intersecting each other at right angles, upon which the reel arms or wings X X are secured by screws,

bolts, or in any other suitable manner, so as to rest upon the circular outer rim of the supfportlng plate or disk W, as will appear more clearly by reference to Fig. 9 of the drawings.

vEach ot' the reel-arms X is of such a length that it will, during the revolutions of shat't P2, extend through and beyond the open spa-ce between the guide-rails V V, as shown in the top view, Fig. 2, so as to conduct the growing stalks in batches into the space between the guides M M2 and against the sickle.

After the corn-stalks have been cut they pass with their butt-end over the iiat sickle,

until they strike against the tripping-arm Q,

by whichthey are tripped and hurled forward 'upon the apron O, which is bordered on two sides by the guards or fenders R R2.

S. is the cut-oil or gavel-divider, which consists of a rod, one end of which is inserted through two perforated lugs, l 2, projecting laterally from the last two sections of a set of lazy-tongs, S', and secured adjustably, by a set-screw or similar fastening device, in the forward` lug, l. The other end of the lazy-tongs is pivoted in the end of' an armor upright, 3, which is bolted upon the frame of the machine, and the tongs are operated by means of a lever, et, having a pivoted connecting rod or link, 5, the upper end or handleof lever 4 being within convenient reach of the drivers seat, (shown at 6.) The rear endlof the cut-oit' rod S is inserted between guiderollers 7 7,journaled in a frame, 8, whichl is supported upon a-standard or upright, 9, boltedupon the frame ofthe machine.

The operation of this cut-0E device or. gaveldivider is as follows: After the corn-stalks have been cut by the sickle in the manner described, they are tripped by the arm Q` and tossed upon the apron O, where they are al'- lowed to accumulate in a bunch or gavel until from one to twenty hills, or more, have beencut. and collected upon the apron, whichremains stationary. The driver then takes hold'ot" the handle of lever 4, and, pulling it' toward him, extends rod S transversely across IOO IIO

IZO

the rear end of the apron, across and above th e side guards or fenders, R R2, as indicated in Fig. 1. The tops of the stalks next cutiand collected willfal-l upon rod S, their butt-ends resting upon the platform or table T, and by the driver now pressing his foot against treadle U the apron will be set in motion and dump the bunch or gavel of corn-stalks collected upon it. Pressure Vupon the treadle is then again taken on?, lever et is pushed back, which withdraws the cut-oi' from across the apron, allowing the corn supported thereon to fall down upon the apron, after which it is, again pushed back into its cut-off position, thcbunch upon the apron is again dropped, and so on. By repeating the operation at certain intervals the corn-stalks are deposited upon the ground in convenient and equidistant shock-rows.

0n the under-side of the rear en'd. of the framev is pivoted a frame, 10, within which is jonrnaled the combined caster and stubble# cutter Y. This consists of two circular heads, l1 11, bound with strap-iron `to form tires, and provided with radial flanges upon their inner faces, which form means of attachment for the knives or cutters 12. The frame of the machine is provided with a circular band or fifth-wheel, 13, bearing against the upper side of frame 10, which is p-ivoted in the center of the said circular band, so as to form an` even support for the stubble-cutter without regard to its position or the line of draft of the machine.

Z is the tongue of the machine, which is drawn by two horses straddling the stubble` Y rows.

When operated by two horses and a Vdriver horizontal guiderails supported parallel to each othenupon vertical standards, a vertical reel set to one side of said chute and provided with horizontal radiating arms or win gs adapted to "pass through the open space or spaces between the chuterrails, so as to traverse the entrance to the vertical chute or leader, a horizontallyreciprocating sickle traversing the inner end of the chute, mechanism for operating the reel and the sickle, and a tripping-arm set back of the sickle and adapted to tiltthe severed corn-stalks obliquely across the harvester-platform upon an apron set back andUto one side of the chute and sickle, substantially as and for the purpose herein shown and described.

2.' The cut-off device consisting ofthe rod S, frame 8, containing the groovedrollers 7 7, and supported upon standard 9, lazy-tongs S', constructed with the perforated lugs l 2, arm

-5, andlever 4, all constructed and combined' tooperate substantially iu the manner and for the purpose herein shown and set forth.

In testimony Vthat Iv claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto axed my signature in presence of two witnesses. I

CHARLES s. WILLMETE. 

